Carpet sweeper case



April 2l, 1953 E. R. SMITH CARPET SWEEPER CASE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Feb. 9, 1948 INVENTOR. EARLE R. SMITH jW/M ATTORNEY April 2l, 1953 E. R. SMITH 2,535,269

CARPET swEEPER CASE Filed Feb. 9. 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 F G. 8. A

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INVENTOR. EARLE R. SMI TH A TTORNE Y 'without alteration of the basic structure.

Patented Apr. 21,51953 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE i `2,635,269 CARPET swEEPER CASE Earle R. Smith, Alhambra, Calif., assgnor to Edna Cambell Smith application February 9, 194s, serial No. 7.055 claims. (01.15-41) This invention relates to carpet sweepers of the manually propelled type. More particularly the invention is directed to the provision of an improved case or housing for carpet sweepers of 1 this type.

It is evident that the appearance of an article of this nature is a big factor in its marketability. Further the appearance is `determined almost `entirely by the case which substantially encloses all of the working parts. Heretofore carpet sweeper cases have been manufactured' on a large scale as a unitary structure according to .a preselected design. The obvious result of this method of manufacture is a limitation on the number of design modifications and a large number of sweepers of fixed design which must be marketed prior to the introduction of new design features.

In recent years manufacturers have marketed sweepers having a window framed into the top of the casing at its geometric center. Other attempts have been made to incorporate windows of various shapes and sizes into the center of the All of these attempts have required framing in, i. e. the provision of a window frame in the panelling in the top of the casing, an expensive procedure which in any event detracts from the beauty and simplicity of the casing design. To the best of my knowledge no one has been successful in producing a sweeper case on an economical basis having windows in the sides thereof. By sides, I refer to the portions of the case on either side of the longitudinal center.

I have now developed a carpet sweeper casing and particularly a chassis therefore which may be manufactured in large numbers and which lends itself to several alternative nished forms Further the chassis of the invention is so constructed that the entire upper surface of the assembled Vcase may be transparent or in the alternative any one or a number of panels may be transparent while the other panel or panels may be .curvilinear area defined by the two side rails and the upper curved edges of the end members into Ithree substantially equal sections. To complete the casing three panels are inserted in the three 2` i sections formed by the top rails and the side rails and are removably held therein by engagement with the `rails in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention, two top rails are provided, it is equally within the contemplation thereof to provide a plurality of such rails. Thus if :r additional rails are fastened between the two end members, the upper surface of the casing will be divided into :n+1 sections and n+1 panels will be inserted in these sections to complete the casing.

The number of design modifications made possible by the chassis of the invention is determined by the number of sections in which the upper surface of the casing is divided. Thus in the preferred embodiment there are three panels each of which may be made of transparent or translucent plastic, or opaque metals, wood or plastic. By standardizing on the chassis construction and by varying the nature of the panels removably inserted therein, a large number of design modifications may be obtained. Three such modifications which I have found to be particularly pleasing to the eye may be as follows. In one an opaque panel is inserted in the center sections and a transparent panel in each of the side sections. In another highly pleasing design, all of the three panels are transparent in which case the entire interior of the sweeper is visible from above. Still another modification includes three opaque panels, the center panel being of white pearl to contrast with say black side panels.

The construction of the chassis and casing of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description thereof, taken in relation to the accompanying drawing in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete casing with a portion of the three panels cut away to show the construction of the chassis;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the case of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a case taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of one of the top rails;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of an alternative form of top rail;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the panel members adapted to be employed in the casings shown in Figs. 1 and 8;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of an anchor strap viewed from the inside; f

Fig. '7a is a sectional elevation taken on the `line 'Ia-la of Fig. 7;

`3.1 .through `the intermediate andlcwer legs.

Fig. 7b is a sectional elevation taken on the line 'Ib- 1b of Fig. 7;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a modied casing; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the casings of Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the carpet sweeper case of the invention .comprises a chassis .IILin which are insertedfthree panelsl I, I2 and .I3 -to form the completed case. The chassis comprises the end vmembers I6, I'I, side rails 20, 2| and top rails 23, 24.

The end members I6, I'I are norm'allywooden but may also be fabricated of metal or. plastic. The shape of the end members isbest'shownin Fig. 3 with reference to the end Il'. The end I1 has a substantially at bottom edge i 'IAand Ea curvilinear top edge IIB. The bottom'is centrally slotted at I'IC to receive a conventional 'brush (not shown). The curvilinear edge I'IB termifnates -at Veither sidein a vertical inset to receive the 'rabbeted side rails 251, '2l and is indented in A"the central portion to lreceive the top :rails 23, 24.

The side rails 2d, 2l are grooved on their lupper one edge 4ofthe'side panels yII and I3. Thebottom edgeor r'each-of the side rails is rebbe-ted to receive the viangeof a 'conventional dust Ypaninot shown).

-Which the :edges :of adjoining 'panels are inserted.

'Thelower ,legzZSA of `the rail is crimped inl-vwardly at 29 toi-ncrease the mechanical strength :of therail. (See Figli.)

The ends of the rails -are drilled ,to receive the As shown in HFig. .llthe upperlegef the .rail23 is .provided at its end withaholev .which-is Ilarger than thehole In Athisrnanner Vthe head ofthe vscrew B3 will pass A.through ,the upper leg 35 and .will Yabut against the chamfered edge of the hole 31 vin ,the intermediate leg. This position of the screw 33 is `shown'in Fig. 3.

Analternative form of ktop rail, shown in section in Fig. 5, `comprises a metal bar 28 having longi- `tudinal grooves 28A vand 28B formed therein and la countersunk screw hole 28C (Fig. 5) at each end thereof. This form of rail is aflixed at its opposite ends to the opposing end members in the same manner as rails23,`24. An inexpensive method of vproducing a rail as shown in Fig. 5 is by extrusion whereby the grooves may be v'formed during'the process. 'In'such case it maybe desirable to plate "the extruded rail Iprior .to incorporation in the ",chassis.

The panels Il, I2 and I3 are made of ailexible materialsuch as `a thin metal or 'plastic `and are `inserted in the chassis by flexing the Ypanel trans- Versely so as to slipthe longitudinal edges thereof into thegrooves in the side and top rails.

`Inasrmich as these panels lare made of comparatively thin fiexible'fmat'erial, such for example, .a'30 gauge plastic sheet, it is preferable to shape the panel in the manner shown in Fig. Grso .as to impart .thereto suiiicient strength to prevent collapse under impact. As shownin Fig. .6 which is a plan view of one of `thepanels inserted in .the case oiFig. 1, .say the panel Il, the width of the panel at the center is greater than Vat .either edge. For present purposes .itis desirable .that the panelsibe symmetrical so that the opposite ends thereof are of the same width. Thus the dimensionH as shown in-Fig. 6 `is identical for all of the tapered edges. Thecenter of the panel II has a width which is in excess of the width of the ends by a value of 2H. The increased width in the center portion causes the panel to bell outwardly along its longitudinal center when it is inserted Within the chassis as shown in Fig. 1.

By holding the ends of each panel down against .the .upper edge .of the end members .a crown is L'formed in the central longitudinali-portion of the panel. The eiect of the crown thus formed is to impart a high degree of rigidity and imp-act resistance to the otherwise flexible panel.

ATo'holcl the panel ends down as described I providea pairpf anchor straps overlying the panel endsand'the upper edges of the end members I6 'and I'I. The anchor strap 38 is shown in Figs. 1 fandgZ'rnountedron the end member I1 and is shown in detail in Figs. '7, 7a and 7b. A similar Aanchor strap (not shown) is mounted over the end member I5. The strap 38 is anchored to the yside rai'lZl! by ascrew 39 and at its oppositeend 'to the side rail 2! bysimilarnieans.

.The .strap "Syas shown in Figs. 7, 7 a and 7b comprises-.a band 38A havingga ,dependingpflange .'13 3B running :.the entire length thereof and a centrally depending lipS 3C. The flange t3 5B lies :along '.the. onterface of the ien'd vmember whenlthe Istrap'is 4mounted.A as shown in Figs. 1 and .2 .and .sarves not'onlyfto strengthen the strap but Yalso .to 'give a nest appearance to Athe assembled case. The lip 33C which is slightly :concave onits lower Ledge' presses down'against the central .panelxbetweenftheftop rails .ZSand 24. 'The lipscthusservesthe'dual purpose .of holding the-endofnthe center panel down'against the -edgeof the end-member-and Vforming a neat appearing molding.

As shown i-n Fig. 3 which is .asectionalelevation taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, the central longitudinal portion ofthe panel II .is bulged away from theicontours ofthe upper edge "FIB-ofthe end member Il, while the narrower 'fend `of the vpanel is heldsnug-ly against theedge YI T13-by the anchor strap. 38.

As hereinbeforementioned, 'the three panels .Il vl2 and I3 Ymay be-made from any semi-flexible D material such as thin plastic, metal, wood veneers and .the like, or of different colors of the same material. Furthermore, each of the panels II, I2 and I3 may be madeof different material or different types ofthe same material or two ofthe panels may be made of the same material or type of material .and the .third panel of a different material .or dii-ferent type material. Thus, in one Yembodiment of the invention the panels I I, vI2 and I3 may all be made of transparent plastic .in .which case the interior .of .the sweeper isconlpletely visible fromabove. Alternatively theside panels II, and I S-may be of transparentfplastic and the central -panel I2 may be made .of an opaque plastic, metal or wood. In a third .embodiment the side panels II and It maybe made of an opaque plastic, metal or wood and the central panel I2 maybe made of a transparentplastic. Alternatively all of the panels may beopa'que and of the same or different color. In this manner .a number of .sweeper designs may be produced from a single standard chassis. This'feature of the invention is particularly important to'large manufacturers 'who normally market severaltypes of `sweepers varying in )price "and quality. viBy making the chassis of all ofthe varioustypes'thus marketed in accordance "with the present invention, ,the different series .of sweepers may bemade to have a different external Aappearance by -the character and type 'of panels "inserted therein. Standardization 1thus achieved -reducesi themanufacturingcosts of lal1-fof 'themodels A modication of the chassis shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. The modified chassis comprises the end pieces 40 and 4| joined together by side rails 42, 43. As in the foregoing embodiment of the invention the side rails 42, 43 are grooved along their upper edges to receive a panel in the manner hereinbefore described. In this embodiment of the invention a rigid central panel 45 is affixed to the central portion of the curved upper edge of the end members 40 and 4| by means of a plurality of screws or nails (not shown). The panel 45 may be wood or plastic and in thelatter case may be transparent or opaque. Further the panel may have veneered thereto any desired decorative materials such as trade mark insignias or the like. The longitudinal edges of the panel 45 are grooved at 46 and 41 to receive the edges of the panels 50 and 5|, the other edges of which are inserted in the side members 42 and 43. The panels 50, 5| in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are identical to the panel shown in Fig. 5. Thus when inserted, as shown in Fig. 6, the flexible panels 50 and 5| are crowned outwardly in their central portion to impart structural strength thereto. The longitudinal crown is formed by reason of the greater width of the central portion of the panel (see Fig. 6).

In the embodiments here shown flexible metal strips 58 and 59 are fastened along the upper edge of the end members after insertion of the panels by hand flexing the same into the appropriate grooves. Thus the strip 58 is fastened at either end to the sides 42 and 43 by means of the screws 60 and 6| respectively. The metal strip is bent at 63 and 64 to curve back upon itself to fit within the grooves 46 and 41 respectively in the central panel 45. The purpose of the metal strips 58 and 59 is to hold the end edges of the flexible panels 50 and 5| down against the upper edge of the end members 4|] and 4|. This produces the crown in the center portion of the panel as described above.

I have described and illustrated a new type of carpet sweeper case having a chassis and a number of interchangeable panels removably inserted in the chassis. By standardiziing on the construction of the chassis innumerable casing designs may be produced by varying the types and colors of panels employed. Many types ofl panels may be used other than the specific ones herein described. However. the scope of the invention is such as to contemplate the use of any such panels or combinations thereof in the chassis.

I claim:

1. A carpet sweeper case comprising a pair of end members each having a curvilinear upper edge terminating at either side in a substantially vertical edge adjoining the bottom edge, two side members affixed to the corresponding vertical edges of the two end members and joining the `end members in spaced relationship, a longitudinal groove in the upper edge of each of the two side members, two rails aiiixed at opposite ends to the upper edges of the two end members and dividing the area defined by the upper edges of the side members and the end members into three sections of substantially equal area, each of the rails having two longitudinal grooves, the two grooves in each of the rails opening in opposite directions, a lseparate flexible panel held in each of the sections by engagement of the longitudinal edges thereof with the grooves in said rails and said side members, and a metal strap extending across the upper edge of each of the end members to hold the panel ends thereagainst.

2. A carpet sweeper case according to claim 1 wherein each of the flexible panels is broader in the center than at the edges so as to form a. longitudinally extending central crown in the panel when the ends of the panel are held down against the end members.

3. A carpet sweeper case according to claim 1 wherein all of the panels are transparent.

4. A carpet sweeper case according to claim 1 wherein the central panel is opaque and the two side panels are transparent.

5. A carpet sweeper case according to claim 1 wherein all of the panels are opaque.

EARLE R. SMITH.

References Cited in therle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 101,975 Smith Nov. 17, 1936 288,590 Nichols Nov. 13, 1883 859,050 `Dittmar July 2 1907 1,613,062- Snider Jan. 4, 1927 2,121,880 Miller June 28, 1938 2,166,977 Smith July 25, 1939 2,304,445 Doane Dec. 8, 1942 

